LESSON PLAN

Fifth Grade Lesson

A. TITLE/TYPE OF LESSON: The Distributive Property of Multiplication Over Addition
B. CONTEXT OF LESSON AND UNWRAPPING OF THE STANDARD
The students are prepared to learn about the distributive property because they have an
understanding of multiplication and addition. Their classroom teacher has assessed their
understanding, allowing me to know the students are ready to begin the distributive property.
The students have been taught order of operations, meaning they are familiar with parentheses
and how they work in mathematical problems. With the students prior knowledge, it is
developmentally appropriate for them to begin learning about the distributive property and
how numbers can be divided to aid in the solving of math problems.
C. LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Understand what are the broad
Know what are the facts, rules,
generalizations the students should specific data the students will gain
begin to develop? (These are
through this lesson? (These
typically difficult to assess in one knows must be assessed in your
lesson.)
lesson.)
The students will understand that
The students will know how the
numbers can be broken apart when distributive property works and
using the distributive property of
how it helps in simplifying
multiplication over addition.
multiplication problems.
The students will understand that
when the array is broken apart it
equals the whole number.

The students will know how to

draw an array on grid paper for the
multiplication problem.

Do what are the specific

thinking behaviors students will be
able to do through this lesson?
(These will also be assessed in
your lesson.)
The students will split one number
into two numbers that equal the
previously given number.
The students will split the array
into two.

Students will know the BABY

acronym to help them remember
the steps to solving a distributive
property problem.
D. BEHAVIOR INDICATORS (FOR LEARNING OBJECTIVES ABOVE)
The students will write how the
The students will draw arrows to
The students will draw lines and
numbers break apart on their desk remind themselves which numbers label the parts of the array.
with a white board marker.
are being multiplied.
Or, the students will break apart
The students will break apart the
The students will draw the array
the hundreds cubes and label each
hundreds cubes to show the
on grid paper to accurately
array (if using the cube
distributive property (if they are
represent the math problem.
manipulatives).
using them)
Students will write the BABY
acronym on their paper to help
them remember the steps.

E. ASSESSING LEARNING
I will assess students understanding by observing them throughout the lesson. In addition to
observations, the students will complete a worksheet at the end of the lesson to assess what
they learned. I will be watching for behavior indicators while the students are working.
Some key indicators I will be looking for include, the students breaking apart the number,
utilizing the cubes or grid paper, and listening to their language as they speak with their
classmates or instructors. I will listen for students to use the word distribute, as they multiply
the numbers and the word array, as they make arrays to visualize the problem.
F. RELATED VIRGINIA STANDARDS OF LEARNING (and NATIONAL STANDARDS
if required)
Patterns, Functions, and Algebra Focus: Equations and Properties
5.19 The student will investigate and recognize the distributive property of
multiplication over addition.
G. MATERIALS NEEDED
Pencils (Students)
Dry erase markers (Students)
Hundreds Cubes (Trice)
Grid Paper (Trice/Brylawski)
Distributive Property BABY Sheet (Brylawski)
Assessment Worksheet (Brylawski)
H. PROCEDURE

Preparation of the Learning Environment

Students will be broken into three groups
- Mrs. Chico (SPED teacher) will the lower leveled students
- Mr. Trice will have mid/on-level group
- I will oversee the whole group, but work directly with the high group
when completing group work.
Have papers and handouts ready for the lesson
Have the students grab a pencil and dry erase marker to use throughout the
lesson

Engage -Introduction of the Lesson;

Give each group a piece of paper with a multiplication problem on it
- Low group: (2 X 27)
- Mid group: (3 X 36)
- High group: (4 X 53)
Ask the students to mentally think about how they would solve this problem
and if they could do it mentally
- Have the students think/pair/share about their equation
- Have the students write the different methods they came up with on
their desk
- Did they come up with similar ways or different ways?

 Implementation of the Lesson (specific procedures and directions for teacher and
students)
Explain the concept to the whole group on the document camera
- Model using a simple number (6 X 14)
- Use hundreds cubes to model with manipulatives
- Draw the array on grid paper and ask the students how I can divide it
into 2
e.x. (6 X 7) + (6 X 7)
- Show the students how to break apart the figure by drawing the figure
in two parts in as many ways as possible
Give the students the BABY handout
- Go over that problem as a whole group, have the students do this along
with me
(4 X 36)
- Display in numbers and on grid paper
Have each group use their own problem (the one that began the lesson) on the
grid paper
- I will walk around and make sure the students are doing it correctly
- Have each group come to the document camera and share their findings
- Ask the students if they could see another way to solve the problem
Complete more practice problems with the class
- (5 X 18)
- (6 X 12)
- (8 X 24)
In the groups, have the students use Distributive Property Task Cards
- Have the students show their work on their desk or in their notebook
Pass out the handout/assessment
- Give the students time to complete the remaining problems
Answer any questions and clear up any confusions
Closure
Summarize what was learned
Ask the students to explain the distributive property with their partner
Ask the student to share with their partner the BABY model
Clean-Up (if required)
Collect their worksheet/assessment
Have the students clear off their desk if they still have writing on it
Have the students put their math materials away
I. DIFFERENTIATION
I will have the lesson differentiated for three different groups. The teachers in the classroom
will be able to work and help any students, but certain teachers will be primarily helping
specific groups. I will provide the different groups with different slips of paper to begin the
lesson and engage their thinking. I will also provide the below grade level group with
hundreds cubes to use in addition to the grid paper. If I notice other students struggling, I will
also provide them with hundreds cubes. I will be observing all students and will scaffold the
problems for the students having difficulty.

J. WHAT COULD GO WRONG WITH THIS LESSON AND WHAT WILL YOU DO
ABOUT IT?
The students may not understand the concept. If this happens, I will go back to the basics and
explain the concept again, slowing it down and explaining it with more simplistic numbers.
We may also not have enough time to complete all the aspects of the lesson. I will
continually gauge the time and if this happens I will alter the number of examples or shorten
certain activities.